When someone just doesn't want to be friends

There is a nurse who has been taking care of me here almost daily. I began to notice that every day, after she leaves, I feel like a piece of shit. I've confronted her about her attitude, then also I've tried the opposite approach: ignoring her vicious, antisocial behavior and putting my best foot forward in an attempt to endear myself to her, NOTHING WORKED. Her heart was like an iron gate.

Have you ever had someone in your life whose heart was a well bolted iron gate? Cause I got good news for you: God doesn't expect you to play Houdini. Many years ago I did a helpline ministry from my home. Unfortunately, I was told that the only appropriate place for the newspaper to put my announcement that I wanted to help people with their problems, was the personal column. Although my ministry was relatively successful, and at least I let people know that I was available to help them, I occasionally was woken up in the night with an obscene phone call. I thought I was doing the right thing to hang up. However, a church friend said to me, "you hung up on a person that Christ died for!" I believed her at the time because I was so very vulnerable. But looking back on what this woman said to me, I'm like, UH-UH! no way do I have to try to bring someone to Christ while he's in the process of speaking abusively to me. I was just an amateur wishing to make a difference, and by no means was I expected to do miracles like that!

I'm saying all this to say, it is very benevolent when we reach out to people and try to help them feel loved and understand that God loves them. But there are people who are simply beyond our level of expertise. There are people who, hard as it is to accept it, need more help than we are able to give. When we have people like these in our lives, we need to politely if we can, or if necessary not so politely, let them know that we need them out of our lives. Sometimes too, if they can't accept it, we need to point them to a professional. And when the situation is really untenable, I would say that you, who have found yourself in such a situation, may need to contact the authorities. Sometimes, even the law.

♬   Lobo: Don't Expect Me to Be Your Friend